Sviatoslav Richter in the 1950s, Vol. 3

Volume 3 ) was recorded at Moscow recitals in 1954 and 1958. None has ever been published before on CD or LP.

The 1958 material included some major discoveries. Most of it is made up of pieces from Liszt’s Années de Pélèrinage, only one of which exists in any other Richter recording. It also offers the offers the only live performance published of Richter playing Beethoven’s famous “Pathétique” Sonata. The 1954 recital includes mostly works of Ravel, including the published Richter performance of Le Gibet from Gaspard de la Nuit , the only selection of that suite he ever palyed. Two more of the Ravel works, Pavanne pour une infant défunte and Jeux d’eau , are the only Richter performances yet published on CD. The disc concludes with three pieces by Rachmaninov and one by Prokofiev.

Reviews

American Record Guide May/June 1997

“The sound on these discs is not great, and there is a fair amount of audience noise, but neither problem is so bad that it interferes seriously with our appreciation. They are essential for Richter fans, fascinating for those interested in following the development of a great artist, and very rewarding for everyone else who loves to hear beautiful music superbly played.

Fanfare

“Richter aficionados should find them an invaluable supplement to their collections. Highly recommended.

The Listener Summer 1997

“Gerber is an eminent Richterian, and his brief notes are excellent. Seasoned Richter fans may have accumulated later studio versions of several of these pieces, but Richter’s early live performances. with their electric intensity, make their own insistent claims, while telling us a lot about his development as an artist.